Wayward

I really enjoyed most aspects of this show. Each episode made me want to continue watching, I felt genuinely invested in the kids' storylines especially, and most of the acting was pretty good...except for Mae Martin. Dull as dishwater, zero onscreen charisma. I had no investment in the Alex character. Mae should've stayed behind the camera as a writer.

Most shows that include LGBTQ+ characters tend to focus heavily on their identity, instead of allowing them to simply exist in their everyday lives. What I loved about this series is how realistic it felt: the trans character faces comments or makes jokes themselves, but the plot is not built around their identity. On top of that, there's another LGBTQ+ character casually woven into the story - it felt authentic, not forced.

The narrative is gripping, and I loved how smoothly my feelings towards the characters shifted from sympathy to frustration and back again. It's a great watch for a weekend - I binged it in two evenings. As someone who's into true crime and psychology, it hit the right spot for me: suspenseful, engaging, and easy to relate to.

My only real critique: the ending. It felt a bit too subtle and didn't quite match the intensity of the rest of the series. Still, overall, a fantastic autumn weekend binge that I'd happily recommend!

Wayward has just enough intrigue and mystery to make you binge it across the finish line, but still kinda underwhelming once you reach there. Like others have pointed out, the lead actor Mae Martin is just not on the same level as the other actors. When you have pros like Toni Collette and Sarah Gadon supporting, you really need to up your game, its not that Martin is bad (they were great in Feel Good), just very one-note, always this deer in the headlights expression. I know Martin was the creator of the story, but they should of given Alex's role to a more accomplished actor. I thought the rest of the cast were good to great, standouts being the 2 girls that portrayed Abbie and Stacey. I've always been a sucker for these weird mysterious tales, and also very forgiving for plotholes, however this one was kinda disappointing, especially with all the talent involved. Enjoyable in flashes while it last, but i will have forgotten everything in a few weeks....

I binged Wayward in a single day because the mystery, Toni Collette's magnetic performance as the academy director, and the phenomenal child actors kept my attention. Unfortunately, the show stumbles where it matters most: the central couple.

Mae Martin, who is non binary and plays Alex, simply doesn't carry the weight this role demands. Their youthful look works in some contexts but makes the marriage to Laura feel more like mother and son than spouses. The lack of believable chemistry is striking, and it drains tension from scenes that should feel emotionally charged.

The problem isn't their identity, it's the performance. Alex is meant to be a grounded, authoritative police officer, but the portrayal feels more like an inexperienced high schooler. Combined with inconsistent character motivations, illogical decisions, and unresolved elements of the academy, these issues undermine the otherwise strong atmosphere. For example, Laura's abrupt behavioral shifts, Alex's questionable choices, and the ambiguous fates of other characters leave significant gaps in the story.

The real standouts are the kids and Toni Collette, who steal every scene and make the series watchable despite its flaws.

Overall, Wayward has style, mystery, and standout supporting performances, but weak acting from the lead and unresolved plot issues prevent it from fully succeeding.

This could have so much better. Not one question brought up in the story was resolved. Maybe the plan was to resolve them in a second season, but I doubt they get a second season. Acting was not great either. Martin had no range of emotions. Actually the 2 teenage girls might have been the best actors in the cast. I feel like I wasted my time.